Laened d



(No Model.)

L. D. V. MASON.

FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 304,212. Patented Aug, 1884.

. Y f ,4 A fz 6, section and side view, respectively, of apor UNTTED STATES PATENT v Ormea.

LARNED D. Y. MASON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 304,212, dated August 26, 1884:.V

Application tiled March 3, 1884.

o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LARNED D. V. MAsoN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, in whichf Figure l represents a front elevation of a building provided with my improved lire-escape; Fig. 2, a view in detail, on an enlarged scale, of the means by which the movable ladders are mounted on rods attached to thebuilding; Fig. 3, a View in detail, partly in section, showing the same device as Fig. 2, the view being taken at right angles to that in Fig. 2,

IFig. 4., a frontview of a portion of one of the ladders, showing the construction and means for mounting the ladder-platforms; Figs. 5 and tion of one of the track-rods and one of the brackets by which the rod is attached to the building; Fig. 7, va View in detail, showing` the construction of the cornice-ladder.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the gures.

A succession of horizontal metallic rods (designated in Fig. l by letter A) are constructed upon the walls of the building, and secured to the same and the roof by metallic eyebolts or brackets a at such a projection as may be necessary to clear the windows or other obstructions. Said rods Aareplaced at such distance apart as may be necessary for the application ofscaling-ladders E, preferably at the top of each story of the building, or one under each row of upper windows and one under the cornice. These ladders are made either of metal or wood, and have metallic hooks B, with wheel attachment C, fastened at one end. The ladders E are hooked upon the horizontal rods A one after another, and fit upon and follow said rods by rolling upon the same by means of said wheel attachment G. Upon each of said ladders E, I have constructed an adjustable platform, e, as shown in Figs. 1 and4. This platform is either wooden or metallic, and when in use is held in position by chains or other means from each side of the ladder, and is supported and worked upon hinges, thus (No model.)

enabling it to be closed or shut up when not required for use. Each platform may be pivoted to a ladder-round, as shown in Fig. 4, for the purpose. ,An important feature of the platforms is, that while they turn outward to furnish a good accessible support for persons standing thereon, they do'not,when folded up, interfere with the ascent and descent on the ladders. For this purpose space is left between the inner or lower edge of the platform and the ladder-round for freely grasping the round with the hands and stepping on it with the feet, as clearly shown at j', Fig. ab

In Fig. 1,- D represents a metallic curved ladder, shown in this figure as arranged to cover the cornice of the building and to fasten on horizontal rods on either side of the cornice;

y but I prefer and intend to use a movable curved ladder traveling on a rod, A, above the cornice, v

as shown in Fig. 7. This ladder can then be moved along the building like the other ladders, and be used with theml Thus the liremen can getupon the roof of the building from the ground by these short separate movable ladders. The horizontal rods A are designed to be either solid or hollow, as shown by Figs. 5 and 6.Y

This invention,whicl1I call a railway fireescape,77 also, from its superior facilities, enables the iiremen to Vcontrol a iire from any portion of the outside of the building, and by means of the adjustable platform to stand at ease, carry the hose, and propel themselves from window to window along the entire front vof the building, and, if adetached building,

along all sides, the rods'or railways being connected by curves at the'corner. They canlocate the iire and bring the hose to bear at once, thus preventing a general contlagration and avoiding the throwing of water at random, and they can save life and property, at the same time feeling conscious of their own safety.

In scaling, when ladders like those herein described are brought by the remen, the rst short ladder is hooked upon the rst track-rod on the building, a fireman ascends upon it and stands upon a platform thereof, which may be near its upper end. Another ladder is then passed up to him by the remen below, andhe hooks it upon the next track above and ascends that ladder above, while another fireman IOO aseends the iirst ladder. Thus successiveladl A A, attached to a building at the diiferent ders are passed up to the top of the building, and each one is manned by a fireman. These. short separate ladders enable this to be done very easily and quickly.

I claim this invention to be especially valuable in its application to buildings near the docks or on narrow streets largely occupied by elevated railroads,telegraph-Wires, or other obstructions, Where the ordinary ire-ladders and appliances cannot be used for Want of space. The circular ladder will enable the re men or other persons to get upon or down from the roof ofthe building in perfect safety.

The rods and brackets In ay be attached to any building alreadyoonstructed or in process of construction. They may be painted, bronzed,

nickel-plated, or galvanized to suit the building and taste of the owner, and made ornamental.

I claini as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination ofa series of traclrrods,

stories thereof, and a series of short ladders, E E, reaching` from track-rod to track-rod and provided with track-pulleys to run upon the track-rods, substantially as specified.

2. In combination with a horizontal trackrod situated below and near the cornice of a building, a curved ladder, D, adapted to be supported above the cornice and to extend around the cornice to the said trackbelow the cornice, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

3. A ireiscape ladder, E, provided with a platform, e, adapted to swing between two rounds of the ladder andto leave a space above the lower one of the two rounds for the insertion of the hands when the platform is so swung between the rounds, as specified.

LARNED D. V. MASON. 

